Thermal effects of microwave radiation on solids and towards generation of plasmas - A review
Swetaprovo Chaudhuri
Microwaves
Microwaves allow volumetric heating in contrast to conventional heating and this results in Reduction in process times. All the researchers claim acceleration of microwave driven processes as compared to conventional heating which can be attributed to the inverse temperature profile and reduced surface heat loss. High Temperature Microwave Processing involves thermal transport activating mass transport by diffusion, evaporation and condensation applicable in processes like sintering of ceramics, joining of ceramics and metals, synthesis of new materials, deposition of coatings etc.
Microwaves allow volumetric heating in contrast to conventional heating and this results in Reduction in process times. All the researchers claim acceleration of microwave driven processes as compared to conventional heating which can be attributed to the inverse temperature profile and reduced surface heat loss. High Temperature Microwave Processing involves thermal transport activating mass transport by diffusion, evaporation and condensation applicable in processes like sintering of ceramics, joining of ceramics and metals, synthesis of new materials, deposition of coatings etc.
Fundamental Principles
Microwave heating is based upon the capacity of a material to absorb the electromagnetic energy.
The absorbed energy can interact with materials through either redistribution (formation and rotation)of bound charges i.e. polarization or long range transport of charges i.e.
conduction processes.
Clark D.E. and Sutton W.H. Ann. Rev. Mater Sci (1996). 26:299-331
Dielectric permitivitty, penetration depth and reflection coefficient
Similar to a dc current Absorbed microwave power
Response of a material to an external electric field is given by: Complex dielectric permitivitty Penetration depth Loss factor Reflection coefficient for normal incidence
Abraham M. The Classical Theory of Electricity and Megnetism London: Blackie
The frequency dependence of e(w) determines the heating characteristics by EM waves at different frequencies
The loss factor, 10-4<tan <103 (for example in pure alumina and silicon nitride) up to 1 and higher (in carbides, borides, some oxides, and intermetallic compounds).
For microwaves l ~ 1 to 0.001m
For infrared radiation i.e. w<=1013 /s, l<=10-4 m.
Rao K.J. Vaidhyanathan B., Ganguli M, and Ramakrishnan P.A. Chem. Mater. 1999, 11, 882-895 Bykov Y.V. ,Rybakov K.I. and Semenov V.E. , [Link]. D: Appl Phys 34(2001)-R55-R75
Temperature Runaway
An increase in the local temperature is accompanied by an enhancement of microwave energy absorption, which results in the local acceleration of heating and further growth of temperature.
Sharp rises in microwave absorption with temperature can cause a thermal instability , which is known as temperature runaway.
Kriegsmann G.A. J. Appl. Phys 71(1996) 1960-6 Bykov Y.V. ,Rybakov K.I. and Semenov V.E. , [Link]. D: Appl Phys 34(2001)-R55-R75
Applications of Microwave Plasma
[Link] materials processing, microwave-excited plasmas may be used as a heat source for sintering and calcination or as a means for surface modification, infiltration, deposition, or etching
Clark D.E. and Sutton W.H. Ann. Rev. Mater Sci (1996). 26:299-331 Vollath D. and Sickafus J. Mater. Res (1993) 8:11
2. Synthesis of artificial diamonds
Kobashi K. ,Nishimura K., Kawate Y., and Horiuchi. Phys Rev B. (1988) . 38(6)
3. Chemical vapor deposition and alignment of carbon nanotubes
Bower C., Zhu W. and Jin, S. and Zhou O. Applied Phys Letters. (2000) 77:6
4. Waste Treatment
Hadidi K. and Woskov P. Efficient, modular microwave plasma torch for thermal treatment. MIT Plasma and Fusion Lab
PLASMA
The most widely used method for plasma generation utilizes the electrical breakdown of a neutral gas in the presence of an external electric field.
Conrads H. and Schimdt M. Plasma Sources Sci. and Technol. 9(2000) 441-454
Microwave excited plasmas
Characteristic features ~ diemension of apparatus = 12.24cm f = 2.45GHz
Conrads H. and Schimdt M. Plasma Sources Sci. and Technol. 9(2000) 441-454 Hadidi K. and Woskov P. Efficient, modular microwave plasma torch for thermal treatment. MIT Plasma and Fusion Lab
Theory continued ..
EM waves with frequencies below the plasma frequency will be reflected which is given by
However the skin effect enables penetration of the EM wave to some extent within the plasma is given by the sheath thickness ds given by
Conrads H. and Schimdt M. Plasma Sources Sci. and Technol. 9(2000) 441-454
Microwave plasma simulation
Qh denotes the energy gain or loss through elastic/inelastic reactions with electrons and/or chemical reactions between the heavy particles, including the socalled inter-diffusion term.
Janssen G.M. PhD thesis Technical University Eindhoven 2000
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